This is an excellent collection of that 1967 Jamaican musical phenomenon rocksteady. The selection ranges across labels and producers to present a great overview of the form that moved Jamaican music a giant step towards the all-conquering reggae that emerged the following year, many of the architects of which are to be found here including Joe Gibbs, Bunny Lee, and Lee Perry in his guise as an artist rather than producer. Essential stuff.
Side One:
1. Hold Them - Roy Shirley
2. I Am Lonely - Heptones
3. Dance All Night - The Tartans
4. Rock Steady - Alton Ellis
5. Ba Ba Boom - The Jamaicans
6. Pata Pata Rocksteady - Patsy & The Count Ossie Band
Side Two:
1. You Don't Care - Techniques
2. Little Boy Blue - Pat Kelly & The Uniques
3. I'm A Loving Pauper - Dobby Dobson
4. Return Home - Alva Lewis
5. Just Like A River - Stranger Cole & Gladdy
6. El Casino Royale - Lynn Taitt & The Jets ft Cool Sticky
Side Three:
1. The Beatitude - The Uniques
2. Revelation - Alva Lewis
3. A Change Is Gonna Come - Ken Parker
4. The Big Takeover - The Overtakers
5. I Am The Upsetter - Lee Perry
6. Musically - Keith Blake
Side Four:
1. Lonely Heartaches - The Clarendonians
2. Napoleon Solo - Lynn Taitt & The Jets
3. Itensified - Desmond Dekker & The Aces
4. Hold Me Tight - Johnny Nash
5. Seeing Is Knowing - Stranger Cole & Gladdy
6. Darling Jeboza Macoo - Stranger Cole
VARIOUS 2XLP First Class Rock Steady
Label: Island Records – 10.200007.35, Dacapo – 10.200007.35
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation
Country: Portugal
Released: 2014